Solar powered light assembly to produce light of varying colours

• US 20050248285A1
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HPM Industries Pty Ltd. (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: HPM Industries Pty Ltd. (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Richmond, Simon Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 7,429,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/149
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/04 simulating flames
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/004 with a lamp housing in direct contact with the floor or ground
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/035 the solar unit being integrated within the support for the lighting unit, e.g. within or on a pole
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/037 the solar unit and the lighting unit being located within or on the same housing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0824 Ground spikes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/109 of gardens
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 in street lighting

Abstract

A garden light 10 having a body (11) with a post (12), the lower end of which is provided with a spike (13). The upper end of the post (11) receives a lens assembly (12). Secured to the lens assembly (12) is a cap assembly (24) that has three LEDs that are activated to produce a varying colour light.

Claims

1. A lighting device to produce light of varying colour, said device including:

a body;

a lens mounted on the body and generally enclosing a chamber having an upper rim surrounding a top opening, and a bottom region;

a reflector mounted in the bottom region;

a cap assembly including securing means to releasably engage the rim so that the cap assembly can be selectively removed from the lens;

said assembly including;

a base;

a circuit having at least two lamps of different colours to produce a desired colour including a varying colour, the lamps being mounted to direct light into said chamber, connections for at least one rechargeable battery to power the circuit and a solar cell mounted on an exposed surface of the assembly and operatively associated with the connections to charge the battery, and a switch operated to control delivery of electric power from the battery to operate said circuit, the switch being exposed to provide for access thereto by a user.

2. The light device of claim 1 wherein, said circuit includes a light sensitive switch that renders the circuit operation at low light levels.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein, said switch is on an exposed downwardly facing surface.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein, said circuit includes three lamps, each of a different colour.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein, said lens is a first lens, and said device includes a second lens, said second lens being attached to said base and providing a cavity into which the LEDs direct light, with the light leaving said second lens then passing through said first lens.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein, the first and second lenses diffuse light.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein, said body includes a post having opposite first and second ends, with a spike attached to said first end, and said first lens attached to said second end.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein, said second lens is detachably secured to said post.

9. The lighting device of claim 1 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit connected to the lamps to deliver electric power thereto so that the lamps produce said desired colour, with said switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the batteries to said sub-circuit.

10. The lighting device of claim 1 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit having an integrated circuit operable to select a desired fixed colour, with said switch being connected to said integrated circuit and operated to select said desired fixed colour.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein, said switch is a first switch, and said sub-circuit includes an integrated circuit and a second switch connected to said integrated circuit, the second switch being operable to select a desired fixed colour and exposed to provide for access thereto by a user.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein, said second switch is on said exposed external surface.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein, said switch is on an exposed downwardly facing surface.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein, said circuit includes three lamps, each of a different colour.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein, said lens is a first lens, and said device includes a second lens, said second lens being attached to said base and providing a cavity into which the LEDs direct light, with the light leaving said second lens then passing through said first lens.

16. The lighting device of claim 14 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit connected to the lamps to deliver electric power thereto so that the lamps produce said desired colour, with said switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the batteries to said sub-circuit.

17. The lighting device of claim 14 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit having an integrated circuit operable to select a desired fixed colour, with said switch being connected to said integrated circuit and operated to select said desired fixed colour.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein, said switch is a first switch, and said sub-circuit includes an integrated circuit and a second switch connected to said integrated circuit, the second switch being operable to select a desired fixed colour and exposed to provide for access thereto by a user.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein, said second switch is on said exposed external surface.

20. A lighting device to produce light of varying colour, said device including:

a body;

a lens mounted on the body and generally enclosing a chamber;

a circuit having at least two lamps of different colours to produce a desired colour including a varying colour, the lamps being mounted to direct light into said chamber, connections for at least one rechargeable battery to power the circuit and a solar cell mounted on an exposed surface of the assembly and operatively associated with the connections to charge the battery, and a switch operable to control delivery of electric power from the battery to operate said circuit, the switch being exposed to provide for access thereto by a user.

21. The lighting device of claim 20 wherein, said circuit includes a light sensitive switch that renders the circuit operative at low light levels.

22. The lighting device of claim 20 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit connected to the lamps to deliver electric power thereto so that the lamps produce said desired colour, with said switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the batteries to said sub-circuit.

23. The lighting device of claim 20 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit having an integrated circuit operable to select a desired fixed colour, with said switch being connected to said integrated circuit and operable to select said desired fixed colour.

24. The device of claim 20 wherein, said circuit includes a sub-circuit, said switch is a first switch said first switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the battery to said sub-circuit, and said sub-circuit includes an integrated circuit and a second switch connected to said integrated circuit, the second switch being operable to select a desired fixed colour and exposed to provide for access thereto by a user.

25. The device of claim 24 wherein, said second switch is on said exposed external surface.

26. The lighting device of claim 21 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit connected to the lamps to deliver electric power thereto so that the lamps produce said desired colour, with said switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the batteries to said sub-circuit.

27. The lighting device of claim 26 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit having an integrated circuit operable to select a desired fixed colour, with said switch being connected to said integrated circuit and operable to select said desired fixed colour.

28. The device of claim 21 wherein, said circuit includes a sub-circuit, said switch is a first switch said first switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the battery to said sub-circuit, and said sub-circuit includes an integrated circuit and a second switch connected to said integrated circuit, the second switch being operable to select a desired fixed colour and exposed to provide for access thereto by a user.

29. The device of claim 28 wherein, said second switch is on said exposed external surface.

30. A lighting device to produce light, said device including:

a base;

a lens mounted on the base and generally enclosing a chamber;

a circuit having at least one lamp to produce a light, the lamp being mounted to direct light into said chamber, connections for at least one rechargeable battery to power the circuit and a solar cell exposed to said chamber so as to receive light passing through said lens and operatively associated with the connections to charge the battery, and a primary switch operable to control to operate said circuit;

a battery compartment including a cavity to receive said battery and having said contacts;

a closure member attached to said compartment but movable relative thereto to expose said cavity to provide for insertion of said battery; and

wherein

said switch is exposed to said cavity so that upon movement of said closure member to expose said cavity, a user has access to said switch to operate the switch.

31. The lighting device of claim 30, wherein device has at least two lamps to produce light of a desired colour including a varying colour.

32. The lighting device of claim 31 wherein, said circuit includes a light sensitive switch that renders the circuit operative at low light levels.

33. The lighting device of claim 31 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit connected to the lamps to deliver electric power thereto so that the lamps produce said desired colour, with said switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the batteries to said sub-circuit.

34. The lighting device of claim 31 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit having an integrated circuit operable to select a desired fixed colour, with said switch being connected to said integrated circuit and operable to select said desired fixed colour.

35. The device of claim 31 wherein, said circuit includes a sub-circuit, said switch is a first switch said first switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the battery to said sub-circuit, and said sub-circuit includes an integrated circuit and a second switch connected to said integrated circuit, the second switch being operable to select a desired fixed colour and exposed to provide for access thereto by a user.

36. The lighting device of claim 32 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit connected to the lamps to deliver electric power thereto so that the lamps produce said desired colour, with said primary switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the batteries to said sub-circuit.

37. The lighting device of claim 36 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit having an integrated circuit operable to select a desired fixed colour, with said integrated circuit being connected to a sub-circuit switch, the sub-circuit switch being operable to select said desired fixed colour.

38. The device of claim 32 wherein, said circuit includes a sub-circuit, said primary switch is a first switch said first switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the battery to said sub-circuit, and said sub-circuit includes an integrated circuit and a second switch connected to said integrated circuit, the second switch being operable to select a desired fixed colour and exposed to provide for access thereto by a user.

39. The device of claim 38 wherein, said second switch is exposed to said chamber.

40. The lighting device of 39 wherein, said lens is fixed to said battery compartment and said battery compartment threadably engages said closure member so that relative rotation between the closure member and said compartment moves said closure member between an open position exposing said cavity and a closed position closing said cavity.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein said closure member includes a socket, and said device includes a spike engaged in said socket and projecting therefrom to provide for the spike to be inserted in a ground surface so that the device is supported thereby.